Sealing device for railway car truck journal boxes



W. H. SALE Sept. 29, 1959 SEALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCK JOURNAL BOXES Filed Jan. 27. 1958 'INVENTOR WlLLlAM H. SALE SEALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCK JOURNAL BOXES William H. Sale, Sandston, Va., assignor to Klasing Hand BrakeCo Juliet, "111., a' corporation of Illinois Application January 27, 1958, Serial No. 711,378

7 Claims. (Cl. 30847) The present invention relates to a journal box for the .axle of a railway car truck and has particular reference to a novel means for sealing the hinged cover against the rim of the access opening of the box. a

The conventional hinged journal box cover is usually in the form of a rectangular metal plate carried on a hinge pin at one side of the rectangular journal box opening and capable of being swung from an open position wherein the opening is uncovered to a closed position wherein the plate bears directly against the rim of the opening and is spring-pressed against the latter.

The closure plate proper, as well as the supporting arm by means of which it is connected to the hinge pin, are

usually in the form of metal castings and as a consequence the assembly is fairly massive and heavy so that at times, when the train .is in motion on the road- -bed, the closure member is subject to rattling due to the-direct metal-to-metal contact between the inner face of the closure plate proper and'therim of the opening.

Furthermore, when the train is stationary, there is a tendency for the inspector or other trainman to slam the cover shut against the journal box opening, thus annoying the passengers. This situation is particularly prevalent in connection with journal boxes associated with the car trucks of pullman cars in night service. Additionally, since the cover plates are invariably hinged on an offset pin was to be capable of swinging movement bodily toward and away from the journal box opening, the presence of dirt or a foreign object on-the rim of the opening, particularly on that side of the rim which is next adjacent to the hinge pin, will prevent seating-of the cover plate on the rim of the opening, so that the opening -is in fact not sealed with the cover plate remaining completely out .of contact with the rim of the opening. Under such conditions not only is the journal box subject to the ingress of vdirt, dust or other foreign material butthe same is subject to rattling as outlined above.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above noted limitations that are attendant upon the construction and use e f-conventional journal boxcovers and, toward this end, it contemplates the provision of a novel and improved form of sealing means whereby, when the cover is swung to its closed position, it will at all times sealingly engage the entire rim of the journal box opening in such a-manner that vnot only is the interior of the journal box sealed against ingress of dirt and the "-like, but also in such a manner that rattling of the, journal b'ox'cover is effectively prevented.

The provision of a journal box cover havingassociated therewith sealing'm'eansof the character brie'fly outlined f above being among the principal objects of the invention, a further object is to provide a journal box cover of this sort in which the sealing means is capable of "being'readily replaced when the samerhas become worn or-otherwise has lost its :efiectiveness. In carrying out thislast mentioned object the invention contemplates the "provision of'zrnovel form of sealing gasket, together with Patented Sept. 29, 1959 'tive .to the rim of the journal box opening, the cooperating retaining means on the gasket and cover plate being such that replacement of the gasketmay be manually eifected by the simple expedient of pulling the gasket away from the cover plate and applying a new vgasket .to

the cover plate by a reversal of the procedure.

.A further object of the invention, 'in a journal :box cover of this character, is to provide a sealing means ?for the cover which is capable of manufacture .as original equipment on the cover or which is capable .of being applied to existing journal box covers without requiring modification or alteration :of the cover plate proper or of the means whereby it is hingedly connected to:the

journal box.

Yet another object of the invention, in .a journal :box cover of this character, is 'to provide a novel form of sealing gasket and a cooperating retention means therefor on the cover plate wherein 'the retention means is of a fixed nature and is possessed of no moving .parts, thereby resulting in a structure which cannot get out of order and which requires no manipulation for gasket removal or installation purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a journal box cover and sealing gasket therefor wherein the ,sealing gasket is provided with a seriesof positioning-tongues and the cover plate is provided witha series of tonguereceiving slots therein, the'cooperating tongues and slots serving to efifectively retain the gasket in its operative position on the cover while the tongues themselves aflford a convenient means whereby the gasket may initially be urged into proper position on the cover for subsequent alignment with the rim of the journal box opening when the cover is moved to its closed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sealing means for journal box covers including'a sealing gasket and retaining structure therefor wherein the gasket is capable of being applied to and removed from the journal box cover while the latter is in position on the journal box and without necessitating removal of the cover from its installed position.

The provision of a sealing means for journal box covers which is extremely'simple in its construction; one which is rugged and durable and which, therefore, may be subjected to hard usageyone which is silent in its parts, namely a sealing gasket and a retaining plate therefor, and which, therefore, may 'be manufactured at a low cost; one on which the retaining means for the gasket may be constructed in the form of a lightsheet metal stamping, thereby materially contributing toward low cost of production; and one which otherwise is well adapted to perform the services require of it, are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

In the accompanying single sheet of drawing forming a part of this specification, a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, together with a modification thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is asectional view taken substantially centrally and longitudinally through a railway car journal box having associated therewith the improved sealing means of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the journal boxcover plate proper showing theimproved sealing means applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially 3 along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 showing the journal box cover plate proper with the sealing gasket of the present invention removed therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the sealing gasket proper;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modified form of journal box cover plate; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of sealing gasket adapted to be used in connection with the cover plate of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to Fig. 1, the improved sealing means of the present invention is shown as being applied to the hinged cover assembly 10 of a journal box 12 associated with the wheel axle 14 of a railway car truck. A journal bearing or brass" 16 overlies the axle journal 14 and a wedge member 18 is interposed between the bearing member 16 and the top of the journal box 12, the bearing member 16 and wedge member 18 being of conventional design. The journal box 12 is of standard construction and is shown herein as being integrally cast with an end portion 20 of a truck side frame. The outer end of the journal box 12 is provided with a rectangular opening 21 which is gounded by an inclined rectangular opening against which a portion of the closure assembly 10 is adapted to seat when the latter is in its closed position on the journal box.

The closure assembly 10 is comprised of two principal parts or castings including a closure plate proper 24 and a hinge arm 26. The closure plate 24 is generally of rectangular configuration to conform to the configuration of the rim 22 and it is riveted or otherewise secured as at 28 at its central regions to a medial point on the hinge arm 26. The hinge arm 26 is pivotally mounted on a hinge pin 30 supported between a pair of lugs 32 integral with the journal box 12. Spring means 34 carried by the hinge arm 26 includes a roller 36 designed for selective cooperation with a pair of angular faces 38 and 40, respectively, for maintaining the closure assembly 10 in either its fully open or its fully closed position. The arrangement of parts thus far described are more or less conventional in its construction and no claim is made herein to any novelty associated with the same, the novelty of the present invention residing rather in the specific nature of the closure plate 24 and certain sealing means associated therewith whereby this closure plate may be caused to sealingly fit over the rim 22 of the rectangular opening 21 when the assembly is in its closed position as will be now more fully described.

The rectangular closure plate 24 is provided with a depressed central region 42 which is of wide angle dome shapeand the marginal regions of which rise sharply as at 44 and merge with an elevated land portion 46 which extends completely around the peripheral regions of the cover plate and the outer peripheral edge of which is flanged downwardly as at 48. The three portions 44, 46 and 48 provide, in effect, a continuous marginal trough having a flat bottom 50, which provides a seat for a resilient sealing gasket 52 (see also Fig. 5), the nature and function of which will become clear presently. A

rectangular retaining frame 53 of lesser overall dimensions than the dimensions of the cover plate 24 is centered on the inside face of this latter plate and is provided with a flat marginal portion 54 which bears against the base of the medial dome portion 42 as indicated at 56 in Fig. 3 and which extends outwardly so as to overlie the flat bottom 50 of the previously described trough portion of the cover plate. The inside marginal regions of the rectangular frame 53 is flanged inwardly as at 58, the extreme inner edge of this flanged portion 58 bearing as at 60 (Fig. 3) against the inside face of the dome portion 42. The retaining frame 53 is fixedly se- 4 cured to the inside face of the cover plate 24 by the application of welds at appropriate points, as, for example, at the inside corner regions of the frame structure 53 where a series of four such welds have been designated at 62. Each side member of the rectangular retaining frame 53 is provided near the outer edge thereof with a slot 64, and the metal of the frame in the vicinity of the slot on the outer side thereof is raised as at 66 or offset out of the plane of the flat portion 46 so that the axis of the slot 64 is inclined relative to this flat portion 46. The inside edge of each slot-is bevelled as at 68 so that this edge, in effect, is a continuation of the inner side 70 of the trough portion to facilitate assembly of the sealing gasket 52 in position on the cover plate 24 in a manner that will be set forth presently.

The sealing gasket 52 is formed of a resilient elastomeric material, such as rubber, either natural or synthetic, or of a rubber substitute. The gasket 52 is of open rectangular design as best seen in Fig. 5 and it is shaped conformably to the continuous angular flat trough bottom 50 on the inside surface of the cover plate 24. The gasket 52 is preferably cut or stamped from a single sheet of elastomeric material and it is provided with a central opening 71 therein of rectangular design except for the provision of filled-in corner portions 72 which are provided with reinforcement purposes, as will be degasket 52 is provided with a centrally disposed inwardly extending tongue 74, there being four such tongues, and

each tongue being designed for cooperation with one of the slots 64 provided in the retainer member or frame 52 in maintaining the sealing gasket 52 in position within the marginal trough portion of the cover plate 24.

As best seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the rectangular resilient sealing gasket 52 is received on the side face of the cover plate 24 with the body portion of the gasket lying flat against the continuous flat surface 50 which constitutes the bottom of the marginal trough as previously described, and with the tongue 74 projecting upwardly and inwardly and extending through the respective slots 64 with which they normally fall in register when the gasket is positioned on the flat surface 50. The flat portion 54 of the retainer frame 53 overlies the body portion of the gasket 52 and, in the event that there is any tendency for the gasket 52 to adhere to the rim 22 of the journal box opening, this overlying portion will serve to pull the body portion of the gasket 52 bodily away from the rim when the cover assembly 10 is swung from its closed position to its open position. With the assembly 10 in its closed position, the rim 22 of the journal box opening bears coextensively against the body portion of the gasket 52 so that the opening is completely sealed. The tongues 74, as well as the overlying region 54 of the retaining plate 53, fall entirely within the rectangular confines of the journal box opening and they are thus surrounded by the rim 22 when the closure assembly 10 is in its closed position.

It is to be noted that the overall dimensions of the rectangular openings 71 provided in the sealing gasket 52 are less than the overall dimensions of the rectangular retaining plate 53 so that in assembling the resilient sealing gasket on the cover plate 24 it is necessary merely to stretch the gasket in both transverse directions in order to position it behind the overlying portion 54 of the retaining plate 53. The assembly may be effected by roughly centering the gasket on the underneath side of the cover plate 24 and hooking one end of the gasket into the space existing between the overlying portion 54 of the plate 53 and the flat bottom 50 of the plate 24. The tongue 74 at this end of the gasket may be threaded through the corresponding slot 64 and, thereafter, the gasket may be worked progressively around its periphery by a combined stretching and tucking operation wherein the gasket is completely pulled over the retaining plate 53. As each side of the a series -of tabs which project inwardly from the slots 64 and which may be engaged by the fingers of the operator and utilized to pull the gasket into its proper final position. In other words, the tongues 74, when threaded through the slots 64, provide a series of tabs which may be used for straightening the gasket on the cover plate 24.

In Fig. 6, a slightly modified form of retaining frame 53 is shown as being applied to the closure plate 24',

the frame 53 being designed for use in connection with the modified form of sealing gasket 52 shown in Fig.

'7. To avoid needless repetition of description, similar characters of reference with a prime suflix have been applied to the various parts in the two views which correspond to similar parts in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

In this latter form of the invention, the slots 64 in the retaining frame 53' are of T-shape configuration and they are adapted to receive therein the tongues 74 provided on the sealing gasket 52". These tongues are likewise T-shape. By the provision of slots 64 and tongues 74 both of which are of T-shape configuration, it is not necessary to thread the tongues into the slots as is the case in connection with the other form of the invention since the tongues may simply be pulled through the entrance regions of the slots 64' which are slightly narrower than the stem portion of the tongues and the distal ends of the T-shaped tongues will interlock with the wide portion of the T-shaped slots 64'. It will be understood, of course, that the extent of the distal ends of the tongues 74 is slightly in excess of the corresponding portion \of the slots 64'.

In compliance with Title 35, US. Code, Section 112, a preferred form of the invention has been shown in the drawing and described herein, but it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific disclosure made, and that the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a railway car journal box having an access-opening surrounded by an outwardly facing rim, a cover plate hingedly secured to said journal box and having a continuous inwardly opening marginal recess conforming in outline to the outline of said rim, said cover plate being movable bodily between an open position wherein it is remote from and out of register with said access-opening and a closed position wherein it extends across said access-opening with said marginal recess in sealing register with said rim, and spring means for yieldingly urging said cover plate toward its closed position, of a continuous fiat marginal sealing gasket in the form of a loop and formed of resilient stretchable elastomeric material removably disposed in and coextensive with said marginal recess and lying wholly Within the confines of the latter, a flat rigid retaining plate fixedly secured to the inside face of said cover plate inwardly of said marginal recess and having its outer marginal regions projecting outwardly beyond the inner edge of said marginal recess and overlying the inner edge region of said sealing gasket, said overlying regions of the retaining plate being formed with a series of slots therethrough, and a series of tongues, one for each slot, formed on said sealing gasket and extending through said slots and serving, in combinat'ion with the slots, to retain the gasket in position within said marginal recess against transverse shifting, said retaining plate lying wholly within the confines of said rim when the cover plate is in its closed position on the rim with the outer marginal regions of the gasket sealingly engaging the rim, the modulus of elasticity of said elastomeric sealing gasket being such that the gasket maybe stretched beyond the outer confines of said retaining plate for. purposes of installation of the gasket on and removal of the gasket from said cover plate.

2. A journal box cover plate for closing the accessopening of a journal .box, said plate being formed with .a marginal rib .providing a rim channel designed for register with the rim of said access-opening when the cover plate is in closed position over said opening, .a flat sealing gasket in the form of a loop of resilient stretchable elastomeric material removably disposed within said channel, a substantially .flat retaining ;p'late.secured to the inside face of said cover plate and having its :outer marginal regions overhanging said rim channel and extending partially thereacross coextensively therewith so as to overlie the inner marginal regions of said gasket and retain the same against outward movement away from the inside face .of the cover plate, the modulus of elasticity of said sealing gasket being such .that the gasket maybe stretched beyond the outer confines of said retaining plate for purposes of installation of the gasket on and removal of the gasket from said cover plate, and :a series of cooperating tongue and slot connections on said retaining plate and gasket wherein the tongues extend through their respective .cooperating slots to maintain the gasket against lateral shifting within 'said rim channel.

3. A journal box cover plate for closing the access- -opening-of a journal box, said plate being formed with a marginal rib providing a rim channel designed for register with the rim of saidaccess-opening when the cover .plate is in closed position over said opening, a fiat sealing gasket in theform of a loop of resilient stretchable elastomeric material removably disposed within said rim channel, .a substantially flat retaining plate secured to the inside face of said cover plate and having its outer marginal regions overhanging said rim channel and extending partially thereacross coextensively therewith so as to overlie the inner marginal regions of said gasket and retain the same against outward movement away from the inside .face of the cover plate, the modulus of elasticity of said sealing gasket being such that the gasket may be stretched beyond the outer confines of said retaining plate for purposes of installation of the gasket on and removal of the gasket from said cover plate, a plurality of slots formed in said retaining plate and spaced from the margin thereof and in register with said rim channel, and a plurality of tongues formed on the inner peripheral edge of said gasket, one for each slot, said tongues projecting completely through said slots and serving to maintain the gasket centered within said rim channel.

4. A journal box cover plate for closing the accessopening of a journal box, said plate being formed with a marginal ribproviding a rim channel designed for register with the rim of said access-opening when the cover plate is in closed position over said opening, a flat sealing gasket in the form of a loop of resilient stretchable elastomeric material removably disposed within said rim channel, a substantially flat retaining plate secured to the inside face of said cover plate and having its outer marginal regions overhanging said rim channel and extending partially thereacross coextensively therewith so as to overlie the inner marginal regions of said gasket and retain the same against outward movement away from the inside face of the cover plate, the modulus of elasticity of said sealing gasket being such that the gasket may be stretched beyond the outer confines of said retaining plate for purposes of installation of the gasket on and removal of the gasket from said cover 7 a plate, a plurality of slots formed in said retaining plate and spaced from the margin thereof and in register with ,the inner side region of said rimchannel, and a plurality of tongues formed on the inner peripheral edge of said gasket, one for each slot, said tongues projecting completely through said slots and serving to maintain the gasket centered within the rim channel, the material of said retaining plate immediately outwardly of each slot being offset outwardly from the plane of the plate to facilitate insertion of said tongues through their respective slots during installation of the gasket in said rim channel.

5. A journal box cover plate for closing the accessopening of a journal box, said plate being formed with a marginal flange adapted to surround the rim of said access-opening when the cover plate is in closed position over said opening, means defining a depressed inwardly extending continuous curved rib spaced from the margin of said cover plate and defining with said marginal flange a continuous rim channel designed to receive the rim 'of said access-opening therein when the cover plate is in its closed position, a flat sealing gasket in the form of a loop of resilient stretchable material removably disposed within said rim channel, and a substantially flat retaining plate secured to the inside face of said cover plate and having its marginal regions overhanging said rim channel and extending partially thereacross coextensively therewith so as to overlie the inner marginal regions of said gasket and retain the same within said rim channel, the modulus of elasticity of said sealing gasket being such that the gasket may be stretched beyond the outer confines of said retaining plate for purposes of installation of the gasket on and removal of the gasket from the cover plate, a plurality of slots formed in said retaining plate and spaced from the margin thereof and in register with the inner side region of the rim channel, and a plurality of tongues formed on the inner peripheral edge of said gasket, one for each slot, said tongues projecting completely through said slots and serving to maintain the gasket centered within said rim channel, the inner edge of each slot being bevelled to form a continuous extension of the surface of the curved rib which defines said rim channel to facilitate insertion of said tongues through said slots during initial installation of the gasket within the rim channel.

6. A journal box cover plate for closing the accessopening of a journal box as set forth in claim wherein the material of said retaining plate immediately outwardly of each slot is offset outwardly from the plane of the retaining plate to facilitate insertion of said tongues through their respective slots during installation of the gasket within the rim channel.

7. A journal box cover plate for closing the accessopening of a journal box, said plate being formed with a marginal flange adapted to surround the rim of said access-opening when the cover plate is in closed position over said opening, means defining a depressed inwardly extending continuous curved rib spaced from the margin of said cover plate and defining with said marginal flange a continuous rim channel designed to receive the rim of said access-opening therein when the cover plate is in its closed position, a fiat sealing gasket in the form of a loop of resilient stretchable material removably disposed within said rim channel, and a substantially flat retaining plate secured to the inside face of said cover plate and having its marginal regions overhanging said rim channel and extending partially thereacross coextensively therewith so as to overlie the inner marginal regions of said gasket and retain the same within said rim channel, the modulus of elasticity of said sealing gasket being such that the gasket may be stretched beyond the outer confines of said retaining plate for purposes of installation of the gasket on and removal of the gasket from the cover plate, a plurality of T-shaped slots formed in said retaining plate and spaced from the margin thereof and in register with the inner side region of the rim channel, and a plurality of T-shaped tongues formed on the inner peripheral edge of said gasket, one for each slot, said tongues projecting completely through said slots and serving to maintain the gasket centered within said rim channel, the stern portion of said tongues being slightly narrower than the entrance regions of said slots and the distal ends of the tongues being of slightly greater extent than the overall extent of said slots, the inner edge of each slot being bevelled to form a continuous extension of the surface of the curved rib which defines said rim channel to facilitate insertion of said tongues through said slots during initial installation of the gasket within the rim channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,159,178 Rike et al May 23, 1939 2,415,031 Kuhn et al. Jan. 28, 1947 2,743,968 Christensen et al. May 1, 1956 

